Oil leakage collecting means for railway speed control means



May 26, 1970 H. scHuL'rE ETAL OIL LEAKAGE COLLECTING MEANS FOR RAILWAY SPEED CONTROL MEANS KOMM 8 @uw WU.. l\\/ m Q 1. m N? .m @su ma /s/M M2M-9"' May 26 1970 H. scHULTE ET AL 3,513,781

OIL LEAKAGE COLLECTING MEANSfFOR RAILWAY SPEED CONTROL MEANS Filed Feb. 19. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /Yavww MM.

QQ/ML@ 92% i Unit-ed safes Patent o 3,513,781 OIL LEAKAGE COLLECTING MEANS FOR RAILWAY SPEED CONTROL MEANS Heinrich Schulte, 8 Markenstr., 5812 Herbede-Kampen, Germany, and Gunter Meschonat, Holsteiner Str. 10, Dortmund, Germany Filed Feb. 19, 1968, Ser. No. 706,288 Claims priority, appliclgtigr s(grmany, Feb. 28, 1967,

U.S. Cl. 104-162 5 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE The specification describes hydraulically and hydraulically-pneumatically controlled units for regulating the speed of rolling stock so as to accelerate slowly moving rolling stock and decelerate rolling stock which is moving too fast. Means are provided for collecting the leakage oil from the hydraulic parts of the apparatus.A

The present -invention relates to apparatus for regulating the speed of railway or railroad stock comprising hydraulic piston and cylinder units which are mounted in the railway track, and whose pistons are connected with movable abutments for contacting the wheels of the rolling stock for transmission of kinetic energy to vthe stock when it is mo'ving below a target speed, and removing kinetic energy from the stock when it is moving at a speed above the target speed, the energy in each case being transmitted further by liquid in the cylinders of the units.

Known apparatus having the features just enumerated makes use of a large number of piston and cylinder units and owing to this there may be a substantial loss of oil into the earth which may foul ground water.

A further disadvantage is that the piston and cylinder units are mounted between the sleepers or cross-ties of the track and the associated hydraulic ducts must be mounted in the ballast under the sleepers.

Such apparatus is generally used in shunting yards in which the frequency of operation of the pistons of the piston and cylinder units is high and there is considerable wear, partially owing to the loading of the pistons from the side and not in the axial direction. Derailments may also occur which will be extremely likely to lead to leakages of oil if the units are struck by the derailed rolling stock. A further cause of oil leakage is that owing to the lo'w temperatures occurring in winter, it is necessary to use a flowing oil which Will become so thin when the weather is warmer that it will readily escape past the seals of the apparatus.

One object of the present invention is to avoid these disadvantages of known apparatus.

The invention accordingly consists in an apparatus for regulating the speed of railway rolling stock, comprising hydraulic piston and cylinder units, which are mounted in a railway track, and Whose pistons are connected with movable abutments for contacting the wheels of rolling stock for transmission of kinetic energy to the stock when it is moving below a target speed, and removing kinetic energy from the stock when it is moving at a speed above the target speed, the energy in each case being transmitted further by liquid in the cylinders of the units, characterized in that the units are mounted in sleepers forming part of the track, and in that the apparatus further comprises leakage oil collecting means in the sleepers for catching any leakage oil from the units, leakage oil collecting duct means in the sleepers, and

the leakage oil duct means being connected with the icc means connecting the duct means of a number of sleepers together for leading the oil away.

In accordance with a preferred form of the invention the apparatus comprises upright piston rod means connected with the kpistons of the units, and circular upwardly open dish means arranged around the piston rods for catching oil, the dish means being connected with the leakage oil duct means.

In accordance with a still further feature of the invention the apparatus comprises a number of pot means in which the piston and cylinder units are severally mounted, pot means for removing leakage oil from them.

Means can be provided for transforming pneumatic pressure into hydraulic pressure so that the sleepers can be connected with air supply line instead of with hydraulic supply line.

In a preferred form of the invention we provide, associated with each piston of a piston and cylinder unit a pneumatic pressure supply means, a pneumatic pressure control valve means, a pressure-transformer piston having a larger and a smaller face defining respectively parts of chambers for air and liquid, the piston arranged to be acted by air under pressure coming through the supply line means and the lvalve means on its larger face, and having its smaller face connected hydraulically with the piston of one of the piston and cylinder units, the pneumatic pressure control valve means being connected mechanically with the pressure reducing piston for the opening of passage means, in the valve, connecting the supply line with the larger face of the piston when the latter is moved in a direction decreasing the volume of the chamber which it in part defines.

' The apparatus can further comprise a non-return valve and, connected in parallel to it, a choke, the non-return valve being arranged to check flow of liquid from the pist0n and cylinder unit mentioned above to the smaller face of the associated pressure-transforming piston and to open for flow in the reverse direction.

Finally, in accordance with another feature of the invention, the apparatus can comprise means for lowering the piston and cylinder units so as not to make contact with the Iwheels of rolling stock, and 'means for the central control of the lowering means.

The invention lwill now be further described with reference to embodiments of it shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. l is a diagrammatic sectionalong a sleeper of a railway track; v

FIG. 2 is a section on the line II-II of FIG. 1;

-FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of what is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a section, on a larger scale, of a further embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the figures and more particularly to FIGS. 1 to 3 it can been that reference numeral 2 represents ballast carriedl on a substratum 1. On the ballast 2 sleepers or cross-ties 3 are arranged on which the rail 4 of the permanent way are attached by means which are not specially shown. Adjacent to the inside edge of y each rail there are hydraulic piston and cylinder control units denoted by general reference numeral 5. These units each comprise a cylinder 6 and a piston in it which can move vertically.' The-piston rod 7 of the piston is connected at its top end to an abutment or head 8 which is specially shaped to make contact with the anges of rolling stock wheels for movement of the piston in a vertical direction and transmission of kinetic energy to or from the rolling stock in accordance with whether rolling stock is running at a speed below or above a target speed. Inside the cylinder 6 there is a return spring, not shown in 3 the drawing, in order to press the piston into its starting position as shown in FIG. 1.

The piston and cylinder units are connected with a known control means for acceleration or deceleration of the rolling stock, by causing transmission of kinetic energy to a rolling stock wheel on the upstroke of the piston and absorption of energy from the rolling stock on the downward stroke of the piston when the rolling stock is moving at an excessive speed, the actuation of the abutment 8 being caused in each case by the ange of the rolling stock wheel.

The -piston and cylinder control units can be arranged in sets of four or six per sleeper or cross-tie 3 instead of in sets of two as shown. There is alsothe possibility of arranging the units in sleepers running along the length of the railway track along the outsides of the rails.

The whole or part of the supply and return ducts for the hydraulic lmedium can be arranged in the sleepers, for instance when the piston and cylinder units are arranged in sleepers extending along the track, or parts of the ducts can be arranged between tracks without being contained in sleepers.

In the embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 1 a central hydraulic pressure installation is provided arranged away from the track and connected with the piston and cylinder units by supply and return ducts 10 and 11, respectively. These ducts are laid in a prefabricated concrete channel 12 closed by a slab 13. The channel also contains a leakage oil duct 14.

At one end of the sleeper 3 there are connections, not especially shown, for connecting parts 10a, 11a, 14a, and 10b, 11b, and 14b of the ducts with the ducts 10, 11 and 14 in the channel.

The ducts 14 are connected with an upwardly open dish 15 arranged around the piston rod 7 for catching oil which leaks past a seal around the piston rod.

The hydraulic piston and cylinder units 5 are not fixed to the track.

In the embodiment under consideration we provide pots 16 in the sleepers 3 which are closed at their bottom ends and surround piston and cylinder units 5 so as to leave annular spaces 17, 18 around the cylinders. These spaces are sealed off by O-rings and are connected with the ducts 10 and 11 so that the connections or pots of the cylinders 6 are connected with these ducts for operation of the pistons in the cylinders.

As can be seen from FIG. 1 we provide four such O- rings 17 one of the hydraulic ducts opening ybetween the upper pair of the rings and the other between the lower pair.

In the further embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 4 there is a similar piston -and cylinder unit 5 with a cylinder 6, a piston rod 7 and an abutment or head 8.

The embodiment of FIG. 4 diers from that shown in FIGS. l, 2, and 3 in that the entire hydraulic circuitry is contained in the sleeper and the transmission of energy to and from the sleepers for the acceleration and deceleration of the rolling stock takes place pneumatically, means for converting pneumatic into hydraulic pressure being provided in the sleepers themselves. The means for collecting leakage oil of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 are not shown in FIG. 4. In order to convert pneumatic into hydraulic pressure we provide, in each sleeper, and for each piston and cylinder unit a pressure transformer denoted by general reference numeral 21 with control valve 22 to be explained presently. At the end of the sleeper, also not shown, there is a connection for the hydraulic duct 22a to a central control station.

The cylinder y6 is connected at its bottom end witth an oil pressure duct 71 which passes through a check valve 72 which is connected in parallel with a choke 73. The check valve 72 is connected on its other side with the high pressure piston chamber 24 of the piston type pressure converter 21. The piston 26 of this converter has smaller highpressure face 25 dening, in part, the chamber 24 while the upper larger face 26 of the piston defines, in part, the chamber 27.

The control valve 22 consists/vof a slide or plunger 74 which is urged to the left by a loading spring 75 whose right-hand end can be set by means of a screw 76 for adjusting the pressure exerted by the spring on the plunger 74. On the other end of the plunger 74 we provide a `stem 77 which can be cammed to the right by engaging an oblique face von the edge of the piston face 26 when the pistonmoves upwards. A duct 78 opens into the chamber 27 while a duct`79 opens in the side wall of the chamber 27 The duct v78 connects thetop of the chamber 27 with a port in the sleeve around the plunger 74 and, when a groove in the plunger is in the position as shown in the figure, this port is connected with an outlet port opening to the atmosphere through 'a choke valve 81 and short duct 80.

The manner of operation of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4 is as follows:

The flange of wheel of the wagon or other type of rolling stock passing at a speed below the target speed contacts the abutment 8, the piston 7 is pressed down into the cylinder 6 against theforce of the spring 70. The oil or other liquid used is thereby forced via duct 71 through the choke 73, which can be adjusted, into the piston chamber 24, the check valve not allowing flow through it into the chamber 24. As a result of the passage of the oil into the chamber 24 the piston with the faces denoted by reference numerals 25 and 2'6 is raised so that it closes the left-hand end of the duct 79. The air from the chamber 27 can escape through the duct 78, the groove in the plunger, the port 82 and the duct 80, the choke 81 being open. On further movement of the piston 2'6 the stem 77 on the plunger 74 is moved to the right by the pressure reducing piston and in consequence the air supply line 22a is connected with the chamber 27 owing to the movement of the left-hand end of the plunger 74 to the right. While the space on the right-hand side of the plunger 74 is connected via duct 79` with the space 28, owing to the further rise of the piston. Furthermore, the continued movement of the plunger 74 to the right checks the escape of air via duct 80. With the valve plunger 74 in the resulting position, that is to say somewhat further to the right than the position shown in FIG. 4, with the duct 78 cut 01T, air from the supply line 22a can pass into the chamber 27. This connection of the line 22a with the cham-ber 27 occurs suddenly so that the sharp resulting increase in hydraulic pressure in the duct 71 and the cylinder 6 is sufficient to accelerate the rolling stock whose wheel is in contact with the abutment or head 8.

However, when the pressure transforming piston 25 has reached its lowest point ituncovers the left-hand end of thevduct 79 so that compressed air flows from the cylinder chamber 27 to the space on the right-hand side of the plunger 74 and, aided by the force exerted by the spring 75, forces the plunger 74 to the left with the result that the left-hand end of the plunger 74 closes the outlet end of the supply line 22a. and air from the chamber 27 escapes through the duct 78, owing to the groove in the plunger 74 being moved suliciently to the left, and the duct 80 as a result that the piston 25 resumes its original position.

In case the passage of rolling stock has an excessively high speed, the greater speed of the ow of oil through the duct 71 and the choke 73 leads to such an upward speed of the piston 25 that the choke 73, whose action in the case of slowly moving rolling stock as described above was so small as to be negligible owing to the small rate of How, in this case, owing to the higher rate of flow absorbs a considerable amount of power and the rolling stock is decelerated by the braking. The piston 25 does 1 not raise sufliciently, owing to the choking action, to

contact the stem 77 and. push the plunger 74 to the right. The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown speciiically in the drawings. Instead of the control means, and more particularly instead of the valve 74 a different form of valve or membrane control system can be used. Centrally controlled means can be provided for causing lowering of the piston and cylinder units so as not to make Contact with wheel anges, i.e., so as to be out of operation.

It is considered that the principal advantage of the invention is that leakage oil losses due to damage of the supply and return ducts for the oil are substantially avoided and the leakage oil does not escape into the earth. The sleepers tobe used in the invention can be tted with the piston and cylinder units in the factory so that they can be connected to the ducts when they have been laid.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apapratus for regulating the speed of railway rolling stock, embodying hydraulic piston and cylinder units associated with a railway track, and the pistons having movable abutments adapted to contact the Wheels of rolling stock for transmission of kinetic energy to the stock when it is moving below `a target speed, and removing kinetic energy from the stock when it is moving at a speed above the target speed, the energy in each case being transmitted further by liquid in the cylinders of the units, the improvement which comprises sleepers or cross ties forming part of the track, means including vertical cavities in said sleepers or cross ties for receiving said units respectively, and oil collecting means embodied in said sleepers or cross ties and including piping extending from said receiving means for conducting leakage oil away from said sleepers.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising up and down piston and cylinder units in the sleepers or cross ties, piston rod means connected to said pistons, means on said piston rods for catching oil consisting of upwardly open dish means on the upper portion of said piston rods, and conduit means extending through said sleepers or cross ties for conducting oil away from said dish means.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising pots embedded in the sleepers or cross ties for said piston and cylinder units respectively, and said piping leading from said pots for conducting away leakage oil.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising, associated with each piston of a piston and cylinder unit, a pneumatic pressure supply means, a pneumatic pressure control valve means, 'a pressure-transforming piston having a larger and a smaller face defining respectively parts of chambers for air and liquid, the piston arranged to be acted by air under pressure coming through the supply line means and the valve means on its larger face, and having its smaller face connected hydraulically with the piston of one of the piston and cylinder units, the pneumatic pressure control valve means being connected mechanically with the pressuretransforming piston for the opening of passage means, in the valve, connecting the supply line with the larger face of the piston When the latter is moved in a direction decreasing the volume of the chamber which it in part defines.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a nonreturn valve and, connected in parallel to it, a choke, the nonreturn valve being arranged to check flow of liquid from the piston and cylinder unit mentioned in claim 4 to the smaller face of the associated pressure-transforming piston and to open for ow in the reverse direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,040,676 6/1962 Checkley et al. 104-162 3,266,792 8/1966I Sherrill.

3,373,699 3/1968 Bick et al. 104-162 3,381,628 5/1968 Lambeth et al. 104-162 GEORGE E. A. HALVOSA, Primary Examiner 

